Mazurek, John “Corky”

Election history: Mazurek unseated Republican Dennis H. Cleary by 811 votes in 2002. Six years later, Mazurek was unopposed by Republicans, but faced a strong challenge from the left for the Democratic nomination.

2008 general election

John Mazurek

8,130

81 percent

James F. Farrell (CC**)

984

10 percent

Samuel Zotto (P*)

940

9 percent

*Petitioning Candidate

**Concerned Citizens

2008 Democratic primary

John Mazurek

563

54 percent

Karen A. Houghtaling

489

46 percent

Background: With public financing and the backing of organized labor and the Connecticut Citizen Action Group, Karen Houghtaling came within 74 votes of stripping Mazurek of the Democratic nomination in 2008.

CCAG gave Mazurek poor to middling grades for a Democrat: a 50 in 2004 and 60 in 2006. In 2009, Mazurek broke with the Democratic mainstream by voting against the Democratic budget and a bill requiring private employers to provide paid sick days. He also was one of just three Democrats to vote for the Sustinet health bill during the regular session, then switched sides in a failed effort to sustain Gov. M. Jodi Rell’s veto.

Public financing: Mazurek and Houghtaling each qualified for $10,000 in public financing for their Democratic primary, Mazurek was awarded an additional $15,000 for his general election. He returned $721.61 in surplus funds to the state.

2008 Financial Disclosure: Mazurek reported outside income from Pratt & Whitney. His wife, Cynthia Mazurek, is employed by the Waterbury public schools. They own a home in Wolcott.

Mazurek reported own several mutual funds.

He declined to disclose information about any debts in excess of $10,000, as allowed by law.

A note on financial disclosure: Every spring, officials are required to disclose the ownership of real estate, the source of any income exceeding $1,000 in the previous calendar year and securities worth more than $5,000.